The Church Releases the Victory of the Cross

 “As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; So is a wicked ruler over the poor people. The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭28‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “Ruthless rulers can only be compared to raging lions and roaming bears. Abusive leaders fail to employ wisdom, but leaders who despise corruption will enjoy a long and full life.”  David, before he killed Goliath, went after the lion and the bear and dealt soundly with them!  These beasts represented demonic forces of evil over the land   Daniel also mentions ruthless world leaders as lions and bears.  “Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’ “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”  Abusive leaders devour like a hungry lion and unjust leaders will trample like a bear.  But thank God that He has given the Church to release the victory of the Cross, this exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.  Amen!

David’s Son & David’s Lord

 “And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭43‬-‭44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke records, ““Haven’t you read in the Psalms where David himself wrote: The Lord Yahweh said to My Lord, ‘Sit near Me in the place of authority until I subdue all Your enemies under Your feet!’ ” Jesus explained, “If David calls this One ‘my Lord,’ how can He be his son?””  In Hebrew translation, David wrote “Yahweh said to my Adonai” which paraphrased reads “The LORD God said to my protecting Lord Messiah”.  Jesus is quoting from David’s psalm and He was yet to make all God’s enemies become a footstool under His Feet, by dying on the Cross and rising again the third day.  Jesus was challenging the people to know that the Christ is both God and Man, David’s Son and David’s Lord.  Jesus as the Son of Man, made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse mankind.  And by the Power of the Cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. He was not their prisoner; they were His!  This is the exceeding greatness of God’s power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all.  Jesus is the Son of Man and the Son of God, David’s Son and David’s Lord.  Hallelujah!

The Word of God our Only Opinion

 “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭KJV‬

Wisdom from above says, “You can trust a friend who wounds you with his honesty, but your enemy’s pretended flattery comes from insincerity. When your soul is full, you turn down even the sweetest honey. But when your soul is starving, every bitter thing becomes sweet.”  Wounds by a loved one are long lasting, effective and faithful.  Whereas flatterers are hollow, even when they kiss you - you never know where you stand with them and it’s dangerous to take their words and kisses to heart.  When we are full of many things and many opinions, the sweet Word of God, like revelation honey, is spurned.  Instead, we eat and fill our souls with things that can never satisfy.  For our spiritual growth and maturity, we all need to be corrected by the Word of God as it is God speaking to us. Remember, when our human parents disciplined us, we respected them. If that was true, shouldn't we respect and live under the correction of the Father of all spirits even more? Our earthly fathers trained us for a few brief years, doing the best for us that they knew how, but God's correction is always right and for our best good, that we may share His holiness.  Let’s make the Word of God our only opinion and speak it forth to others as well as to ourselves.  Amen!

Be the Temple of God and Reveal Christ in You

 “And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭45‬-‭46‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, “Jesus entered the temple area and forcibly threw out all the merchants from their stalls. He rebuked them, saying, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Father’s house is to be filled with prayer—a house of prayer, not a cave of bandits!’ ”  The Gospel of the Lord Jesus can never be traded for money.  Freely we have received and freely we give.  The only time when Jesus used force was when people mixed the goodness of God with money.  It was prophesied, Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.  “And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”  Our personal relationship with Almighty God can never be misused.  Through the defeat of sin and death, our Lord Jesus has sent His mighty Holy Spirit to make us the temple of God.  As the apostle told, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”  Let’s walk in the consciousness that the Holy Spirit dwells in us to show Jesus to the world around us, let’s reveal Jesus through us.  Amen!

Christ is our Wisdom

 “As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour is not seemly for a fool.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “It is totally out of place to promote and honor a fool, just like it’s out of place to have snow in the summer and rain at harvest time.”  Both snow and rain are good in their proper season but harmful in the wrong season.  So is it harmful for a fool if you affirm him and honour him prematurely.  The Scripture has defined fools as, ‘The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”’  Only the withering soul would say to himself, “There’s no God for me!” Anyone who thinks like that is corrupt and callous; depraved and detestable, they are devoid of what is good. In today’s world such people are honoured, but according to the Word the one who fooled first was the father of lies and since then has been fooling people that there is no God.  Such people have tried to fool others. These people have gone out into the world. They don't agree that Jesus Christ came in a human body. People like this try to trick others. These people are like the great enemy of Christ. Eventually, the devil who fooled all of them will be thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur. He will be there with the beast and the false prophet, and they will be in pain day and night forever and ever.  Let’s live in the faith that overcomes, which is our victory - the victory that Jesus won for us at the Cross.  Let’s live to honour God in Christ because Christ has become to us the wisdom of God.  Amen! 

How Much More the Blood of Christ

 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.are I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, The religious leader stood apart from the others and prayed, ‘How I thank You, O God, that I’m not wicked like everyone else. They’re cheaters, swindlers, and crooks—like that tax collector over there. God, You know that I never cheat or commit adultery; I fast from food twice a week and I give You a tenth of all I earn.’  The tax collector stood alone in a corner, away from the Holy Place, and covered his face in his hands, feeling that he was unworthy even to look up to God. Beating his breast, he sobbed with brokenness and tears saying, ‘God, please, in Your mercy and because of the blood sacrifice, forgive me, for I am nothing but the most miserable of all sinners!’  The LORD God Almighty hates self righteousness, the pride that makes you feel superior to others - it was the same pride that led to Lucifer’s fall to become satan.  The tax collector’s humility in prayer led to him scourging his breast in genuine repentance, as he said to God, “Look at me as you look at the blood-sprinkled mercy seat.”  Today, how much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who  through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  Let’s cast aside self-righteousness and come before God in genuine sorrow, looking at the Blood Sacrifice of the Lamb of God that takes away our sin, and receive grace at heaven’s Mercy Seat.  Amen!

Anointed by the Anointed One

 “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift Is like clouds and wind without rain.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wisdom from above says, “Clouds that carry no water and a wind that brings no refreshing rain — that’s what you’re like when you boast of a gift that you don’t have.”  The symbols of clouds, wind and rain are significant.  Clouds are often a metaphor for the people of God filled with glory. The writer of Hebrews says, “As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds”.  Wind is an emblem of the Holy Spirit bringing new life, as John explains, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  Rain often points to teaching the revelation-truths that refresh and water the seeds of spiritual growth.  That’s how Isaiah tells, ““For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”  God’s anointed people are to be clouds carried by the wind of the Holy Spirit that bring refreshing truths to His people.  When we are empty and false, we are clouds without rain.  As Peter puts it, “These people are dried-up riverbeds, waterless clouds pushed along by stormy winds—the deepest darkness of gloom has been prepared for them.”  Let’s be God’s anointed people instead, those who have the Anointed One dwelling in us, like clouds carried by the wind of the Holy Spirit that bring revelation truths to refresh others.  Amen!

The Kingdom of gos is Within Us

 “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, Jesus was once asked by the Jewish religious leaders, “When will God’s Kingdom come?” Jesus responded, “God’s Kingdom does not come simply by obeying principles or waiting for signs. The Kingdom is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s Kingdom realm is already expanding within some of you.” The Pharisees thought that by every Jew perfectly observing the law and keeping people under their leadership, the Kingdom of God will come as Israel will overthrow the Roman conqueror and the Messiah will be in power.  Many Christians feel like that today that by keeping the Ten Commandments perfectly, we are entering into God’s Kingdom.  But what does Jesus say? That the Kingdom of God is within us.  In the New Covenant, the Kingdom of God is the Person of Jesus Christ, within us, by faith.  When people see Jesus in us, and the power of His love, they desire Him.  All self righteousness, our performance works, indeed our self-centredness and self-consciousness disappear, as we are only conscious of Christ within us. And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Let many people hear this Gospel and invite the Lord Jesus Christ to dwell within them and the Kingdom of God increase.  Hallelujah!

It’s Better to be Wise than to be Strong

 “Through wisdom is an house builded; And by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled With all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭24‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬

Wisdom from above says, “Wise people are builders — they build families, businesses, communities. And through intelligence and insight their enterprises are established and endure. Because of their skilled leadership, the hearts of people are filled with the treasures of wisdom and the pleasures of spiritual wealth. Wisdom can make anyone into a mighty warrior, and revelation-knowledge increases strength.” A house is built by wisdom and it is more than a structure with roof and a floor - it is a metaphor for families, churches, businesses and enterprises.  This wisdom from above in our inner chambers gives us righteous wealth.  This wisdom makes anyone a hero because it is better to be wise than to be strong.  For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now He is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption.  If anyone boasts, let him only boast in all that the Lord has done!  Amen!

One Way, One Truth, One Life, One Judgment

 “And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke writes, “What if they’re not listening?’ the rich man added. ‘If someone from the dead were to go and warn them, they would surely repent.’ “Abraham said to him, ‘If they wouldn’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither would they be convinced if someone were raised from the dead!’  The rich man had lived totally depending on money and worldly power, never thinking about death, judgment and the after life.  When he asked Abraham to tell his family members about the tormented place he was in, Abraham said that they never listened to Moses or the prophets and neither will they listen to someone who rose from the dead.  Jesus is that “someone” Who rose from the grave, yet many still will not listen and believe.  The world and money power is such a deception to the people.  Religions and philosophies that are tolerant of sin will also deceive.  Jesus said, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  Let’s proclaim this truth that there is only one life, after that is the judgment, and there is no other way to eternal life except through Jesus Christ.  Choose life in Christ.  Amen!